Electric rail-bond



(No Model.) W. B. CLEVELAND ELEOTRIO RAIL BOND. No. 588,791.Patented-Aug. 24, 1897.

FIQI

ATTORNEY.

. UNITED STAT S PATENT 'FFICE- WILLIAM B.- CLEVELAND, CLEVELAND, OHIO.

ELECTRlC RAlLeBOND.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 588,791, dated August24, 1897.

Application filed April 15, 1897- To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM B. CLEVELAND, a citizen of the UnitedStates, and a resident of Cleveland, county of Ouyahoga, and State ofOhio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in ElectricRail-Bonds, of which the following is a specification,the prin ciple ofthe invention being herein explained and the best mode in which ,I havecontemplated applying that principle so as to distinguish it from otherinventions. V

The annexed drawings and the following description set forth in detailone mechanical form embodying the invention, such detail constructionbeing but one of various mechanical forms in which the principle of theinvention may be used.

In said annexed drawings, Figure I represents a side elevation of arail-joint provided with my improved railbond, showing the fish platebroken away to disclose the bond; Fig. II, a cross-section ofthe railand'bond, taken through one lug of the latter; Fig. III, a plan view ofthe bond, and Fig. IV a longitudinal section of the same.

The bond consists of an oblong coil 1 of flattened wire, usually ofcopper or copper alloy, and laterally flattened to form two more or lessarched connecting side members 2. Two heads 3, forming riveting-lugs 4,which project to one side of the bond, are cast upon the doubled ends ofthe coil, said heads .being of substantially the same metal or alloy asthe wire and being cast upon the ends of the coil so as to form a weldedjoint, the wire melting and becoming homogeneous with the metal of theheads. The oblong expansible and contractible wire frame connects thetwo heads in such manner that when the lugs are inserted in the holes 5in the webs of the rail ends 6 and have been expanded and headed in saidholes, as illustrated in Figs. I and II,

the rail ends may approach and separate by the expansion and contractionof the rails without affecting the electrical connection between therails and without loosening the lugs in their holes. The hammering ofthe car- Wheels in passing over the meeting ends of the rails will notaffect the electrical connection by the bond, inasmuch as the elasticityof the connecting wire frame will cause the same to yield to anymovement of the rail Serial No. 632,224. (No model.)

bond is flat and is covered by the fish-plates 9 of the joint afterbeing secured in position. The metal of the heads extends alongtheportions of the side members nearest the heads,

thereby forming reinforces 7 between the side members and reinforces 8at the outsides of the same. v

The bonds are preferably manufactured by coiling flattened copper Wirewith the flat sides of the wire bearing against each other until asufficient number of wires are provided in the side members of the frameto provide the required current-carrying capacity. The coil is nowstretched or flattened edgewise until an oblong frame is producedhavingsligh tly -arched sides or nearly straight sides. This frame isthen placed in a mold having cavities for the formation of the heads andlugs and into which cavities the doubled ends of the frame project. Theheads and lugs are now cast upon said doubled ends, the metal of theheads forming a weld with the wires, whereupon the heads and lugs arepreferably finished by drop-forging.

The reinforces at the portions of the wires at the joints with the headsprevent motion of the wires at such joints, and thus prevent the wiresfrom breaking at those points. The reinforces will distribute the motionof the wires during expansion and contraction of the bond over theentire side members of the frame.

The doubled ends of the wires are indicated by dotted lines in Figs. IIIand IV of the drawings. The wires will not show in the heads in theactual bond when a section is made through the head, having becomecompletely and homogeneously united with the metalof the heads; but theyare indicated in the drawing to illustrate the shape of the wire frameand the position of the ends of the frame in the heads.

Other modes of applying the principle of my invention may be employedfor the mode herein explained. Change may therefore be made as regardsthe mechanism thus disclosed provided the principles of construction setforth, respectively, in the following claims are employed.

I therefore particularly point out and distinctly claim as myinvention- 1. An electric rail-bond, consisting of an oblong frameformed from a laterally-compressed coil of fiat wire coiledto have itsflat sides bearing against each other, and of terminal heads and lugscast upon the doubled ends of said frame, substantially as set forth.

2. An electric rail-bond, consisting of an oblong frame having its sidemembers composed of flattened Wires placed with their flat sides bearingagainst one another, and of terminal heads and lugs cast upon the endsof said frame and having reinforces projecting between and on theoutsides of the side members of the frame at their points of joiningsaid heads, substantially as set forth.

3. An electric rail-bond, consisting of an oblong frame formed from alaterally-compressed coil of flat wire coiled to have its fiat sidesbearing against each other, and of terminal heads and lugs cast upon thedoubled ends of said frame, and having reinforces projecting between andon the outsides of the side members of the frame at their points ofjoining said heads, substantially as set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing to be my invention Ihavehereunto set myhand this 10th day of April, A. D. 1897.

VILLIAM B.. CLEVELAND.

WVitnesses:

M. SEOHER, PHILIP E. KNoWLToN.

